Sarah Hopkins (b. 1958) is a unique Australian composer-performer, highly acclaimed for her visionary music and inspiring performances for cello, harmonic overtone singing, handbells, choir and the celestial Harmonic Whirlies of her own creation.
With a strong background and training in classical music, over the years she has moved into the realm of holistic music and developed a very distinctive compositional voice. Her solo, ensemble, choral and orchestral compositions demonstrate an expansive and pure musical style which resonates with the space and energy of the Australian landscape as well as the inner landscape of the human psyche.
Sarah lives in Brisbane and tours nationally and internationally, performing her own original music, running workshops in Holistic Music and Harmonic Overtone Singing plus working as an artist-in-residence.
Since 1981 she has represented Australia at many prestigious events in America, Europe and South East Asia. Sarah has toured as a cultural ambassador for the Australian Government since 1992 to Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, Germany, The Philippines, Singapore, Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Sarah performed at the opening ceremony of the 4th World Athletics championships in Stuttgart, to an audience of over 50,000 spectators. Her highly acclaimed choral work Past Life Melodies has become a standard repertoire song for many choirs around the world & it was recently featured in the US feature film BOYCHOIR. Her Sky Song music, co-composed with Alan Lamb was featured on Australia’s Olympic 2000 bid CD.
Sarah’s choral, ensemble and orchestral compositions are regularly performed around the globe and her music is studied and performed in Australian schools and universities. In 2013 a choir in Brisbane was named in her honour : ‘The Sarah Hopkins Vocal Ensemble’.
CD recordings of Sarah’s music include Honour the Earth, Reclaiming the Spirit, Sky Song and Sounds of Global Harmony (in collaboration with the Gyuto Monks of Tibet, Anne Norman and Chris Neville). These are available from the website www.sarahhopkins.com
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Honour the Earth (SA) |
Simple voice parts, yet a powerful piece with a powerful message surely more necessary now than ever before. This piece brings together many cultural influences from the “earth tribes” – Native American, African, Celtic, Aboriginal and Mongolian as well as the music of nature herself – birdcalls and flowing streams.SA divisi a cappella or accompanied. An ideal song for Festivals & whole school performances including massed choirs. SA divisi a cappella or accompanied (by Small Ensemble or Concert Band, Orchestra, String Orchestra or Cello Ensemble). The sound sample is from the CD : Honour the Earth ~ music by Sarah Hopkins
TRACK 1 : Honour the Earth as Your Mother – for treble voice choir & orchestra commissioned & performed by Korowa Anglican Girls’ School, Melbourne, conducted by Nadene Gilmore.
Also available in SATB voicing here.
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Honour The Earth (SATB) |
Demonstration Recording: Montclair State University Singers directed by Dr. Heather J. Buchanan from the 2012 ACDA Eastern Division Conference. Simple voice parts, yet a powerful piece with a powerful message surely more necessary now than ever before. This piece brings together many cultural influences from the “earth tribes” – Native American, African, Celtic, Aboriginal and Mongolian as well as the music of nature herself – birdcalls and flowing streams.SATB divisi a cappella or accompanied. An ideal song for Festivals & whole school performances including massed choirs. SATB divisi a cappella or accompanied (by Small Ensemble or Concert Band, Orchestra, String Orchestra or Cello Ensemble). Also available in SA voicing here. |
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Honour The Earth As Your Mother (SA Divisi) |
Honour The Earth As Your Mother is very atmospheric and is one of Sarah Hopkins most well known works. |
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Hullayha (SA) |
Hullayha (pronounced ‘Hull-ay-ha’) for SA divisi choir a cappella or accompanied (by optional percussion, String Orchestra or Full Orchestra). The soulful opening gradually transforms into abundant joy. All the melodies are very ‘singable’ & supported by sustained drones which ‘birth’ out of the melody line. Available in SATB voicing here. |
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Hullayha (SATB) |
Unaccompanied recording from ‘ON THE ROAD with St Peters Chorale’ directed by Graeme Morton
Accompanied Recording from CD ‘Childers Shining’ ~ music by Sarah Hopkins performed by massed community choir with the Bundaberg Youth Orchestra conducted by Robert Rotar. Hullayha (pronounced ‘Hull-ay-ha’) for SATB divisi choir a cappella or accompanied (by optional percussion, String Orchestra or Full Orchestra). The soulful opening gradually transforms into abundant joy. All the melodies are very ‘singable’ & supported by sustained drones which ‘birth’ out of the melody line. Available in SA voicing here.
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Lament |
SATB divisi choir a cappella or accompanied (by optional Tubular bell & String Orchestra). Originally part of a 30 minutes work Childers Shining which helped bring healing to a community after a fire tragedy caused the loss of 15 lives, this work was written to bring healing, transformation and upliftment.
Lament (MM2020) SATB divisi a cappella or accompanied.
Recording: from ‘Childers Shining’~ music by Sarah Hopkins
Performed by massed community choir with the Bundaberg Youth Orchestra conducted by Robert Rotar.
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Past Life Melodies (SA) |
Australia’s most iconic choral work to date, and featured on the Hollywood film Boychoir. This version is for SA divisi choir a cappella. There is also a treble voice version of the score for choir and an accompaniment for cello only. Commissioned (in the SATB version) for Graeme Morton’s high school choir, the work can be performed by choirs of modest training, and yet has made it all the way to Chanticleer, and other professional groups, such is its broad appeal. Accompaniment available for Full Orchestra or Concert Band, String Orchestra or Cello Ensemble. Recording by The American Boychoir · Fernando Malvar-Ruiz · Sarah Hopkins |
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Past Life Melodies (SATB) |
Australia’s most iconic choral work to date, and featured on the Hollywood film Boychoir. This version is for SATB divisi choir a cappella. MM2003 is a treble version and MM2004 uses the treble voice version of the score for choir and an accompaniment for celli only. The work distinctively features Harmonic Overtone Singing. A rehearsal guide to Past Life Melodies, also available through Morton Music, shows you how to teach this technique to your choir. Commissioned by Graeme Morton’s high school choir, the work can be performed by choirs of modest training, and yet has made it all the way to Chanticleer, and other professional groups, such is its broad appeal. Accompaniment available for Full Orchestra or Concert Band, String Orchestra or Cello Ensemble. ORDER NOW from http://musical-resources.com/morton-choral-music-from-australia/
or in Australia from Hal Leonard Australia (wholesale) VIA YOUR PREFERRED SUPPLIER.
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Rehearsing And Performing Past Life Melodies |
This seven page compendium of information and resources helpful to choir directors, choristers and music students. Much of the material in this booklet is different from that in the CD. There is biographical information, a discussion on the process of composition and suggestions for rehearsal. It includes information on Sarah’s compositional process, Rehearsal suggestions, frequently given feedback to Choirs plus bio info.
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Return To Joy |
A short song by Sarah Hopkins in a vibrant, joyful style. This is a combined score that can be used by either treble or mixed voices. The work divides into seven parts but many parts use sustained single tones so a choir of reasonable ability can perform the work. SA or SATB a cappella (or accompanied by any treble ensemble). Return to Joy (MM2007) ~ SA or SATB divisi a cappella
Recording :”Honour the Earth” CD published by Sarah Hopkins
Performed by Canticum conducted by Emily Cox. |
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Sarah Hopkins Rehearses Past Life Melodies |
This seventy minute CD includes spoken commentary from Sarah Hopkins as she rehearses Past Life Melodies with St Peters Chorale and we also hear inspiring performances of the full piece. This is a marvelous resource which has the composer’s stamp of authority! |
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Two Kyries from the Winds of Heaven (SA) |
For treble voices a cappella.
These short songs are unusual, fresh and vivid. They resonate with ideas drawn from several religious philosophies. The composer sanctions performances within the context of Christian worship as well as any philosophic tradition which values the soul. Includes harmonic overtone singing. The individual parts are very simple and a large and sonorous ensemble is preferred.
Note: This score includes an additional alternative ‘Kyrie 11’
Listen to the SATB version here!
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Two Kyries From The Winds Of Heaven (SATB) |
These two songs are unusual, fresh and vivid. They resonate with ideas drawn from several religious philosophies. The composer sanctions performances within the context of Christian worship as well as any philosophic tradition which values the soul. Includes harmonic overtone singing. The individual parts are very simple and a large and sonorous ensemble is preferred. Mixed voices a cappella. Recording from”Honour the Earth” CD published by Sarah Hopkins
Performed by Canticum conducted by Emily Cox
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